CONTROL | INDUSTRY 4.0
Right: Coperion’s ServiceBox online monitor- ing system is installed on more than 800 compounding extruders
flexible system based on OPC-UA architecture. It is open, so equip- ment from any manufacturer can be connected with no need for any “translation” devices, and data exchange is immedi- ate. FACS 4.0, meanwhile, is a two-wire system that works on a Windows platform to provide full control and monitoring of a Piovan material handling system, presenting data on a range of handheld devices.
Production control Monitoring and predicting material usage can increase production efficiency. The Coperion Production Control Center (CPCC) monitors and controls single-line or multi-line compounding and plastic processing plants. The CPCC production planning tool handles order data, recipes, and raw material data to generate production jobs for the entire plant and helps optimise production schedules, according to Michael Volz, Head of Automation at Coperion. The CPCC can also be used as a gateway to a superordinate enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, allowing connec- tion of a plant’s data to a multi-site planning system. The system supports graphical and tabular reporting of operating and process data and can track material details for quality and legal reporting requirements. Analysis of this data can help optimise produc- tion by providing information about the stability of a process or by helping identify causes of prob- lems. In particular, a “fingerprint” of a plant can be created using reference data and then process data can be compared to this ideal, says Volz. The CPCC also has a built-in maintenance tool
for predictive maintenance. Coperion’s other predictive maintenance tools include the Coperion ServiceBox, which supports online monitoring of equipment. “Since 2009, the ServiceBox has been
installed in over 800 Coperion extruders worldwide, of which 60 are permanently monitored remotely by Coperion service staff. All Coperion extruders equipped with the ServiceBox can be monitored remotely for troubleshooting and/or maintenance purposes,” says Joern Matzke, Head of Business Unit Service Compounding & Extrusion at Coperion.
A key to achieving some of the benefits of Industry 4.0 is enabling machines to communicate via the IIoT. New machines are being built with the technology to connect via the IIoT, says Matt Ramsdell, Customer Service Manager at Entek. Upgrading older machinery to allow IIoT connec- tion, however, is a significant challenge. Currently, Entek offers an upgrade from manual controls to an automated programmable logic controller (PLC) and human-machine interface (HMI) that allows the user to trend, monitor, and store historical data to improve and streamline their processes. “Connecting these controls to the IoT allows our customer to have remote monitoring of these systems and the ability to share data between plant sites. Real-time data from actual production results can be used to help make products more consist- ent between plant locations,” says Ramsdell. Remote access can allow Entek to help trouble- shoot equipment and process issues without having to send technicians to a site, thus keeping downtime to a minimum, he adds.
New production machinery is being
produced with IIoT connectivity on board, says Entek
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2018
Predicting maintenance Sensors are now being used to monitor com- pounding extruders and auxiliary equipment and indicate when maintenance is needed (covered in detail in the Maintaining Effective Production feature in last month’s edition of Compounding World). This predictive maintenance improves efficiency because operators can be alerted to perform maintenance before equipment breaks down, and maintenance intervals can be adjusted to actual conditions. Leistritz is supplying condition monitor sensors on new gear boxes as standard from this year. “Multiple sensors in the gear box measure different variables that describe its condition and indicate when maintenance is required and when oil should be changed,” says Wolf. The sensors could also identify which gears and bearings are exhibiting vibration that indicates a problem or potential failure. Leistritz says it is developing sensors that
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PHOTO: COPERION
PHOTO: ENTEK
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